Vechernyaya Moonbase
“The Gateway to Koschei” - Vechernyaya Port Authority Motto Vechernyaya Moonbase is a port city located on Koschei's largest moon, Mavlakis. Named after the Evening Star goddess in ancient lore, the city serves as the main stopping point between Koschei and interstellar cargo ships. Origins As with most things that date back to before the Scream the origins of Vechernyaya as a port are mostly unconfirmed and almost myth. In all silence surviving records Vechernyaya is mentioned as a lunar installation of varying size and importance. Historical analysis has put the construction date around the early days of the colonization of 0004A as a staging point for cargo transfer. Legend would have it that the installation started as a beachhead for the Conquest of 0004, being a fully fledged military base in its time, but nothing has been found that confirms this. It is generally agreed that the Vechernyaya moondocks, as they were called, stayed relevant throughout the golden age of the Empire as Mavlakis’ low gravity allowed for the docking of larger ships on solid ground and make for easier cargo transfers to the planet down below. It also allows for ships who could fly in atmosphere but too large to enter Bunker-2’s space tunnel to offload their cargo. During the first Imperial Civil the Thorg Board for Tourism bought out the space port and invested heavily in its installations to facilitate their immigration plans to Thorg. Larger habitats were built to accommodate the influx of displaced Imperial citizens and a fair amount decided to stay Moon-side. In 2945 the Deathless, who inherited the Thorg Board for Tourism’s ownership of the spaceport started another expansion for Vechernyaya: The moonbase proper. This was to accommodate the Deathless’ nascent navy with proper infrastructure to service it. Now The “Moonbase” is currently home to about 2 million permanent residents, military personnel posted on base included. Due to the constant back and forth of visitors it is impossible to estimate the visitor population of Vechernyaya. Gravity inside the habitats is kept at a pleasant 1G by underground gravity generators. The docks themselves allow for “anchoring” of ships by the generation of localized gravity fields, helpful when someone doesn’t want their precious cargo floating away in lunar orbit. Once a ship is due for departure the gravity fields deactivate and the lower gravity of Mavlakis allow for an easy take-off. Vechernaya’s primary function is still the same as it was for centuries past, that of receiving the larger cargo haulers inbound for Koschei. It also serves as the official gateway to the planet proper, as the Deathless owned and operated Port Authority is in charge of registering ships and cargo after a summary inspection in order for them to be cleared for planetfall. Even though the Deathless are still very much in charge on Vechernyaya the place itself is a lot more lenient and... “free” than on the planet proper. Of course it is ridiculous to say that Koschei itself doesn’t have its seedy underbelly, but criminal organizations tend to be more brazen and open in the lunar city, many a time has it been described as a “Hive of scum and villainy” by some sneering noble. As the main port city for the entirety of the Ragnhil system Vechernyaya also serves as a hub where one can get access to a wider array of non-Koscheian or mainstream imperial goods, including (mostly) extra legal goods. This is thought (mainly by conspiracy theorists with shoddy evidence if you ask the Deathless) to be done on purpose by the Port Authority to allow for a concentration of illicit goods, keeping them out of the “mainland”. Of course if this were true then the planetary sale of contraband would be lower but no one has access to these stats so who can prove it? Important Locales Deathless Navy HQ “Navy HQ” encompasses the whole of the military base that makes up half of Vechernyaya’s man made structures. Complete with its own docks, dockyard, living quarters and security to keep the curious tourist away. Most of the administrative buildings are built within the lunar mountain range and overlooks the spaceports. The nerve center of the Deathless fleet is itself located deep within Mavlakis’ crust. The HQ is usually bursting with activity, with ships taking off or landing 24/7, the massive maintenance “drydocks” are usually filled with ships coming back from deployment or going through emergency repairs. If one were to go on a grav-cycle ride next to the base (eva suit is recommended) they would have the chance to see the hulking masses of Tsarevitch-class battlecruisers and carriers staying alongside, with the odd flash of the plasma torch repairing some of these behemoths’ scars. Outside of Vechernyaya proper is also home to a slew of live ammunition testing grounds, from marines training in low-gravity to ships making some orbital bombardment drills. Travel in these areas isn’t recommended due to imminent and unannounced explosions. Deathless Fleet School Less of a location and more of an institution located within the Navy HQ, DFS is where all Navy personnel go to train for their future career following Basic Training. The school utilizes pretty much every bit of the Navy HQ, and it is not uncommon to run into trainees or cadets rushing towards their next class or exercize. L’Académie Navale The only military academy located outside of Koschei’s gravity well, L’Académie Navale takes in students from the age of 14 who wish to receive one of the best possible schoolings in Ragnhil, after L’École de Guerre (don’t tell them that though). As part of the Deathless Military Academy Scholarship Program, anyone with the appropriate skills can join up with no education fees. Of course this is in exchange for guaranteed service in the Deathless Navy once the education is complete for a set amount of year, depending on the trade, as an officer. L’Académie, as its students call it, has a deep-seated rivalry with L’École de Guerre, this rivalry usually comes to a head at the yearly wargame between the two schools. Last year the wargame went to L’École, but L’Académie is hankering for revenge. Features of this school include, but is not limited to: Naval training and internships when schooling is off, courses with an emphasis on the military applications of ships, the history of space, in-system navigation and more. Vechernyaya Moondocks The civilian part of the city, this port is supposedly the most ancient landing site in all of Ragnhil (unsupported by evidence). Almost all of Koschei-bound cargo transits through these docks. A feature of these docks is the dockyards. Attached to the sizeably larger military dockyard these offer to the private citizen the opportunity to profit from the Deathless Maintenance department’s expertize, for a price.. Zorya City This city has the full gamut of a port-town, complete with bars, clubs, nightly entertainment and lodgings for the visiting sailor. The liveliest part of the city is a small copy of Bunker-2’s downton, known as Little DValhalla. There one can find direct streams from the DVodka arena in an Augmented Reality version of the stadium so you can always catch the latest fight. The classier visitors’ wish is also granted should they want to catch up on the Koscheian Opera but doesn’t have time to go down the gravity well with the Koscheian Tribute Metal Orchestra’s vechernyaya band. It doesn’t beat the real thing of course, but is better than watching videos in a cramped bunk. Visitors should be wary of several areas, like the housing district, which are severely less policed than downtown and might finish with a stab wound or five. King Diamond Country Club Located 100km out of Vechernyaya city proper, the King Diamond Country Club and Resort provides a calm retreat for the visitor who wants to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The main feature of the KDCC is of course the Zero-G golf course, where one can relax, enjoy a chilled glass of DVodka PrimeTM, and play some gravity defying sport in a mech, what’s not to love? For the uninterested in golf there is of course a lounge, the Maiden’s Iron, a (heavily soundproofed) nightclub with low-g setting, and a spa. One can also sample the finest Koscheian minimalist cuisine without having to go down planetside. People you may find in Vechernyaya. * Sailors from cargo ships wasting away their money in Zorya city’s entertainment * Wary locals who are tired of off worlders sowing chaos * A gaggle of Deathless operatives going to their local place that’s away from the tourists * Port Authority personnel inspecting cargo and ships for security risks. * Deathless Fleet School cadets stressing over their next board, which might get them kicked out. * A King Diamond Country Club driver waiting at the spaceport for their esteemed guests * A couple of slimy individuals looking for their next mark * Shifty ship owners which definitely aren’t carrying contraband for Koschei why do you ask? Category:The Deathless Category:Koschei Category:Moons Category:Cities